Predictors of Interventional Treatment Use for Venous Thromboembolism in Cancer Patients

<p>Venous thromboembolic disease is a major cause of morbidity in cancer patients. The Perspective database was used to identify patients with solid tumors and a diagnosis of VTE from 2006 to 2012. We examined use of IVC filters, thrombolysis, and thrombectomy. Among 32,545 patients, 23.1% received an IVC filter, 1.9% thrombolytic therapy, and 0.4% underwent thrombectomy. Use of IVC filters decreased between 2006 and 2012 (23.4% to 21.2%, <i>p</i> = 0.012). Older patients, uninsured patients, Hispanics, and those with more comorbidities were more likely to undergo filter placement while patients at rural hospitals were less likely to receive an IVC filter (<i>p</i> < 0.05 for all).</p

Safety, Utilization, and Cost of Image-Guided Percutaneous Liver Biopsy Among Cancer Patients

<p>Image-guided percutaneous liver biopsy (PLB) is a diagnostic tool for lesions in the liver. Hemorrhage is the most common complication. We selected patients with a diagnostic claim for cancer who had undergone PLB. There were a total of 26,941 patients who underwent PLB. Hemorrhage risk was 1.43% among patients undergoing PLB. When stratified by setting, odds of hemorrhage were 4.5 times higher when biopsy was performed in an inpatient setting (<i>p</i> < .001). Risk factors associated with hemorrhage included marital status, liver cancer and comorbidity score. The use of PLB has increased over time. Reassuringly, the hemorrhage risk associated with PLB is low.</p